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A holiday in San Francisco is full of colours and flavours, whether this is referring to the city’s culture and nightlife or its culinary scene. Spending the days visiting a wealth of tourist attractions is bound to build up an appetite and with so much to choose from in terms of eating establishments it can be hard to know where to begin.

Be sure to sample the delights of all the different communities that make up San Francisco, as well as the destination’s obsession with fusion food. Having booked your trip with Air Express, then you can start planning your dining experiences. And there is no better place to start than right here.

Frances, 3870 17th Street

Since your San Francisco holiday is likely to take you on a culinary journey around the world, it makes good sense to start off in the place that you have chosen to travel to – California. Making a reservation well in advance or queuing up before 5pm when they open is the only way to get a table at Frances.

It is a world-class restaurant where chef Melissa Perello serves up great Californian cuisine alongside a huge helping of warmth and personal service. The produce is local and cooked with innovative creativity, leading to excellent dishes. Try the baked cherrystone clams or a bavette steak prepared perfectly.

State Bird Provisions, 1529 Fillmore Street

This is another establishment where it is worth planning in advance to visit otherwise you may not find yourself getting seated. An ever-changing menu of imaginative dishes is presented to customers and carts – almost like a Californian tapas or mezze.

Guests can therefore experience a wide selection of flavours within the course of one meal. The fried state bird of the restaurant’s name is quail, with other notable delicacies including duck liver mousse and pancake with smoked sturgeon. Of course the offerings are likely to have changed by the time you visit, but there are bound to be a whole new selection of tempting morsels to try.

Namu Gaji, 499 Dolores Street

From California, wing your taste buds to Korea with this amazing restaurant that fuses flavours from the Asian nation with produce from the United States. It is the brainchild and collaborative project of three brothers – the Lees, who also run a small farm from which they source all their vegetables and herbs.

Expect Korean fried chicken, beef tongue and potato puffs to all grace the menu. The team of waiting staff will also be able to advise you on which of the fine selection of wines will complement the dishes perfectly. And if you can’t get here for your evening meal, they are also open at lunch times.

Nopalito, 306 Broderick Street and 1224 9th Avenue

It is always a good sign when an establishment has to open up a second restaurant in order to cope with demand and this is exactly the case with Nopalito. The selection of tequilas is just as good as the tamales and carnitas that are served up by chefs José Ramos and Gonzalo Guzman.

They have gathered inspiration from several different regions of Mexico, making the menu a varied mix of fine dishes. Many of these are the perfect way to warm yourself up on a foggy San Franciscan day.